Tempe Police: Man uses book to conceal drugs, paraphernalia

A 30-year-old Mesa man was arrested April 18 on the 500 block of West Broadway Road on suspicion of dangerous drugs and drug paraphernalia possession and use, according to a police report.

Police received a call about five unknown men looking for someone in a room at Motel 6, according to the report.

When officers arrived, the five men were not present, police reported.

The officers contacted the man in the room the group was allegedly asking after and were given consent to enter the room, according to the report.

An officer walked to the bathroom to see if anyone else was present in the room, police reported.

Instead, the officer observed a large book on the bathroom sink with a candle propping up its cover, according to the report.

A hidden compartment in the book contained used needles, a silver spoon with brown residue and a small bag holding an unknown white substance that appeared to be methamphetamine, police reported.

Small, fresh blood spots surrounded the sink, according to the report.

The man said he wasn’t using drugs anymore and was going to throw the items away, police reported.

The man was placed under arrest on suspicion of drug paraphernalia possession while officers conducted a flash test and inventoried the items concealed in the book, according to the report.

The flash test confirmed the white substance was methamphetamine, at which point the charge of possession of dangerous drugs was added, and officers counted 20 used needles in the book, one of which was filled with blood, police reported.

The man was read his Miranda rights and transported to Tempe City Jail, where he was booked and released pending charges, according to the report.

A 20-year-old Gilbert man was arrested April 19 on the 600 block of South Mill Avenue on suspicion of giving a false report to law enforcement, possessing and using marijuana and being a minor in consumption of alcohol, according to a police report.

Police found the man asleep at a patio table, according to the report.

He slurred his name when talking to the police and told them he was older than 21, police reported.

The man had bloodshot, watery eyes and smelled of alcohol, and a breath alcohol test the man took gave a result of .207, police reported.

During the man’s interview with the police, an officer noticed a small plastic bag hanging out of a small pocket on the front of the man’s pants, according to the report.

Officers asked what was in the bag, at which point the man tried to push it further into his pocket and back away from the officers, police reported.

Police grabbed the man and removed the bag from his pocket, according to the report.

The bag contained a substance recognized as marijuana, police reported.

The man was arrested and transported to Tempe City Jail, where he was booked and held on the alcohol and false information charges, according to the report.

Reports compiled by Amy Medeiros

Reach the assistant news editor at ammedeir@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @amy_medeiros